Galvanizing apparatus and method



Aug. 13, 1935. P. w. DILLON GALVANIZING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed June 24, 1931 171 5 T fkz/ Zip/flora.

Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE GALVANIZING APPARATUS METHOD Paul W. Dillon, Sterling, Ill., assignor toiNorthwestern Barb Wire Company, Sterling, 111., a

corporation of Illinois the bending, twisting and the like of the wire which is necessary in the production of the fabric.

Thus for example the common commercial galvanized wire prior to fabrication into fencing and the like, when subjected to the usual commercial test by immersion for one minute in a copper sulphate solution, will show no evidence of penetration of the zinc coating by the solutioh until between two and a half and three tests, whereas after the galvanized wire has been fabricated to form fencing or the like, the wire will-not stand more than one to one and a half such tests. The requirements of railroads and the government are somewhat more rigid than those of commercial establishments and specify that the untwisted portions of the wire of the fencing must be capable of withstanding four tests, but make no requirements as to the portions of the wire which are twisted or bent as in thecase of hinge joint fence It has been found in actual practice that where the ordinary wire is capable of withstanding fcur tests, the knots or hinge joints are good for only one to one and a half tests. It is accordingly obvious that, inasmuch as a chain is as strongas its weakest link, and the hinge joints or knots are very poorly coated with zinc, it will not be long after the beginning of the use of fencing made in accordance with the past practice thatsuch fencing will become rusty at and adjacent the hinge joints, knots and the like.

It is accordingly one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a galvanizing apparatus by which wire fabric and the like may be coated or plated after the fabric is made, together with an improved method of galvanizing the fabric.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a galvanizing apparatus embodying means for preventing the formation of globules and the like of the zinc on various parts of the wire fabric.

A further object of the inventionresides in the provision of instrumentalitiesf associated with a galvanizing apparatus for preventing freezing by the zinc of binge joints in the wire fabric.

A further object of the invention residesin the ing freezing of the hinge joint.

provision of an improved method by which hinge joint fence is galvanized after the fence itself is fabricated, without interfering with the hinge action of the .various portions of the fence.

In carrying out the invention, a reel of fabricated wire fence is loosely mounted on a fixed axis, passes through a flux bath, then out into the open air and then down into a kettle of zinc, means being provided for wiping the portion of the fence emerging from the kettle, at which 10 time the zinc'adhering to the fence is in a liquid condition, the wire fence thus emerging being subjected to repeated jarring or agitation by which the excess zinc or spelter is thrown off at the same time that the wire forming the leaves 15 of each hinge is caused to pivot, thereby prevent- The zinc coating solidifies at some point beyond the agitating mechanism and is then led over pulling rollers into a bin and then up around additional rollers 20 and subsequently is wound on the finishing reel.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from, the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawing.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illus- 25 trated in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic fragmentary plan view showing the agitating apparatus, the dotted line indicating the effect of the agitation on the fence.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating the 5 formation of the hinge joint of a hinge joint .fence mounted for free rotation on an axis or shaft 2. Thewire fence or fabric 3 passes over an idler I, is immersed at 5 in a tank 6 containing flux I by which the metal is cleaned and at the 5 same time prepared to provide for adhesion of the zinc on "the wire. The fence 3 progresses out of the tank 6 and over the idler 8 from which it moves downwardly into a zinc kettle 9. from which it emerges at Ill, and passes at this point through a mass of grained charcoal II, by which a major portion of the excess zinc is wiped off. The fabric 3 proceeds from the charcoal Ii upward.

while the charcoal II is effective to wipe off a as large part of the excess zinc, it does not remove the zinc which has collected in and adjacent the hinge joints of the hinge joint fence 3. If these collections of zinc are allowed to remain, they will solidify and will freeze the joints, thereby preventing any hinge action whatsoever and thus nullifying the workof the fence making machine in producing such joints. It is accordingly desirable to remove the excess zinc so that the hinge joints will be operative after the galvanization has been completed. To this end, in accordance with the present invention, means are provided for intermittently engaging and temporarily distorting the fence as it moves up out of the kettle 9 in such a manner as to cause relative pivotal movement of the parts of each joint, and at the,

same time jar the excess zinc at these joints loose and off the fence. The zinc will thereby be distributed over every part of the fence with an even thickness of coating, so that the joints will be no more subject to corrosion in use than the remaining portions of the fence.

The agitating or jarring mechanism forming the subject matter of the present invention may vary in structure and in operation so long as the desired function is-accomplished. The form of such mechanism chosen for purposes of the present illustration comprises end brackets I2 which are vertically adjustably carried by the side standards I3 of a frame I4, each of the standards I3 having a longitudinal slot I5 through which the adjusting and clamp bolts I6 pass. A shaft I! has its ends carried in bearings associated with the end brackets I2, one end of the shaft I'I projecting beyond the adjacent bracket I2 and carrying a pulley I8 about which abelt I9 runs, the belt being actuated by a motor or the like (not sl"wn). Cams 20 are secured to the shaft I! for rotation therewith, and project radially from the center of the shaft I! a distance somewhat in excess of the distance between the axis or center of the shaft and the portion of the fence 3 passing upward adjacent the shaft. With this arrangement it will be evident that as the shaft rotates, the cams 20 will strike the fence 3, the shaft I! being preferably rotated about 50 revolutions per minute. Of course, the speed of this shaft may vary with the speed of progression of the fence.

The impact of the cams 20 on the fence 3 must occur while the zinc is in a molten condition on the fence, but preferably does not occur until the portion of the fence to be struck has been exposed to the air until the zinc in contact with the wire firmly adheres thereto but while the outer portion of the zinc is still in a liquid state. It will of course be understood that the rate of solidification of the zinc coating on the fence wire will vary with the temperature of the zinc in the kettle 9 and atmospheric conditions, so that the height of the shaft Il may be accordingly varied. However, I have found that good results are obtained by positioning the shaft I! so that the cams 20 will strike the fence 3 when the particular portion to be struck has advanced from the kettle 9 about two-thirds of the total distance which it must move'before complete solidification occurs. The globules of zinc which collect in the spaces between the coils of each hinge joint, as well as between the coi s and the line wires about which they are wrapped, are considerably thicker than the remainder of the zinc coating, so that the jarring or agitation of the fence will not appreciably disturb thezinc coating except where it has collected in globules and the excess zinc in the globules will be thrown off by the action of the cams 20. After being struck or agitated by the cams 20, the fabric 3 proceeds upward into engagement with the drawing or pulling rolls 2|, whence it proceeds into the area or bin 22 and then is threaded along the idler rolls 23, from the last of which it proceeds to and is wound about the reel 24. When the reel 24 reaches a given size, the fabric 3 is cut off, for example between the reel 24 and the first adjacent idler 23, and while preparation is being made to place a new reel in position, the galvanizing process is not interrupted but continues, the fabric collecting as indicated at 25 in the bin 22. As soon as the new reel is in position, the shaft to which it is secured is rotated by a suitable motor or the like, once the fabric is attached thereto. Suitable means will be associated with the drawing rollers 2I to cause the latter to continuously rotate so that the galvanizing process may continue.

While the foregoing apparatus and method are particularly applicable in the galvanization of hinge joint fencing after fabrication of the latter, it will be clear from the foregoing that the invention is applicable also to various kinds 'of fencing since it is useful in throwing off the excess zinc or spelter, and suitable means may be provided for saving the latter.

The particular instrumentalities availed of herein for the purpose of carrying out the process mentioned, is, it will be understood, illustrated diagrammatically, and it will be appreciated that the details may be varied in numerous ways and yet the same process carried out.

The effect of the striking of the cams 20 against the fence 3, is two-fold, namely, the removal of excess zinc, and the relative pivotal movement of the wings or stay wires 26 about the line wires 21 as centers while the zinc coating is solidifying, so that after solidification is complete the hinge action of the wings 26 will not be interfered with by the zinc. While the displacement 'of the alternate hinge joints shown in Figure 2 is considerably exaggerated, this figure serves nevertheless to clearly illustrate the desired action of the cams. The hinge action of the various wings of the various hinge joints is made possible by virtue of the presence of the abutments 28 which are stationary and are secured to a cross-beam 29 extending transversely between and secured to the end bracket I2. It will be noted that the abutments 28 and the cams 20 are disposed on opposite sides of the fence 3, and that the joints engaged by the abutments 28 alternate with those engageable by the cam 20.

I have found in practice that the unbent wire of hinge fence galvanized in accordance with the present invention will withstand as many as eight 'immersions or tests in CuSO4, each of one minute duration, before any signs of corrosion appear, and that the wire forming the joints or knots will withstand five or six such tests. Such fence thus enjoys very considerably longer life than pre-galvanized fence subject to the same initial coating of zinc, and yet is produced at least as speedily as the latter.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1, Galvanizing apparatus comprising a flux bath, a kettle containing molten zinc, said kettle having spaced openings at its upper end to permit access and egress of the metal to be coated, a boxlike container associated with the egress opening of said kettle and containing a mass of grained charcoal through which the metal to be coated must pass, means for drawing and conducting the metal out of and away from said kettle, and cooperating movable cam and fixed abutment means between the last named means and said charcoal for agitating the coated metal to thereby remove excess zinc prior to complete solidification thereof.

2. Galvanizing apparatus including a kettle containing moltenzinc, saidkettle having an entrance and an exit for the metal to be coated, means spaced from the exit for drawing the metal from said kettle, cooperating cam and fixed abutment, mechanism disposed between said exit and said drawing means for agitating the metal after the latter emerges from the kettle to remove excess zinc from the metal, and means associated with said exit for wiping the metal as it emerges from said kettle, said wiping means being disposed between said exit and said mechanism.

3. An apparatus for coating hinge joint fabric including line and stay strands, comprising means for applying a molten coating material to the fabric and means on one side of the fabric en-- gageablevwith a line strand and on the other side of the fabric engageable' with another line strand and relatively movable toward the fabric to pivotally move the stay strands at the hinged joints and thereby prevent freezing of the joints.

4. An apparatus for coating hinge joint fabric including line and stay strands, comprising means for applying a, molten coating material to the fabric and means engageable with opposite sides of the fabric at places spaced transversely in the direction of the stay strands so that at least one stay strand is disposed between said places, said means being relatively movable in a direction transverse to the fabric for pivotally moving stay strands so as to prevent freezing of the hinge joints.

5. An apparatus for coating hinge joint fabric having line and stay strands, including means for applying a molten coating material to the fabric,

means engageable with the .fabric on one side thereof at places spaced transversely in the direction of the stay strands so that at least one line strand is disposed between said places, means engageable with the other side of the fabric between said places, and means for effecting relative movement between the respective fabric engaging means toward the fabric so as to pivotally move the stay strands at said one line strand and thereby prevent freezing of the last mentioned stay strands to said one line strand.

6. An apparatus for coating hinge joint fabric having line and stay strands, including a container for molten coating material, said container affording access and egress of the fabric to be coated, means for withdrawing the fabric from the coating material, means engageable with the fabric on one side thereof at places spaced transversely in the direction of the stay strands so that at least one line strand is disposed between said places, means engageable with the other side of the fabric between said places, while the material on the fabric is still molten, means for effecting relative movement between the respective fabric engageable means toward the fabric so as to pivotally move the stay strands at the hinge joints associated with said one line strand, and thereby prevent freezing of said joints by the coating material, and means for varying the distance between said engageable means and. said container.

7. The process of coating hinge joint fabric having line and stay strands, including the steps of applying a molten coating material to the fabric and thereafter, while the material is still molten, reciprocating one line strand transversely of the a plane of the two next adjacent line strands between which said one line strand is disposed so as to pivotally move the stay strands associated with said one line strand relative to said one line strand and thereby prevent freezing of said associated stay strands to said one line strand .upon setting of the coating material.

8. In galvanizing apparatus including a galvanizing kettle and means for drawing hinge joint metal fabric to be coated from saidkettle, means for agitating the fabric as it emerges from said kettle, said means comprising a stationary member and a movable member straddling the fabric extending between the kettle and the drawing means; said stationary member and movable member having projections, said movable member being movable into juxtaposition with the stationary member with the projections of one member disposed between those of the other member, said projections being so arranged that when the fabric passes between said members, alternate line wires of the fabric will be disposed adjacent the projections of. the stationary member, whereby when the movable member is moved until its projections are disposed between the projections of the stationary member, the line wires intermediate the projections of the stationary member will be shifted toward the stationary member and the fabric will be given a substantially zigzag formation, the hinge movement of the various stay wires incident upon this distortion of the fabric together with the impact due to the movement of the movable member serving to prevent freezing of the hinge joints of the fabric.

1 PAUL W. DILLON. 

